As a worship leader I often talk about worship in heaven. What it would look like. What it would sound like. Worshiping in the kingdom of heaven will be incredible. But in this perhaps I miss a huge point of what the kingdom of heaven is.

We are currently studying Jesus' sermon on the mount in Matthew 5-7. We've decided to call the series Kingdom Swap. It's an appropriate name. Jesus calls for a radical change in our thinking. Turn the world's thoughts and patterns upside down as believers and live differently. Rather than the world's desire to shape us by what we do and how we appear, Jesus calls for a reshaping of our hearts. He knows the truth: our outward actions and appearance is a reflection of the heart.

We need to trade in the heart of the world for a heart of heaven. We need a kingdom swap.

In Matthew 4:17, just before Jesus' greatest message, he says that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. In Luke 17:20-21 he says that the kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed. He says it is already in their mists. The kingdom of God is already here. The kingdom is in us.

Yes, the fullness of the kingdom of God will not be experienced until our physical nature passes away and we enter heaven with the very presence of the fullness of God. But herein lies a great true paradox of scripture: The kingdom of God is already here. In us. God in his fullness is here in us. My human mind has a hard time understanding this truth, but it is truth. The very words of Christ.

When we worship, we should not only dream of what is to be in the heavenly kingdom. We need to remember that the kingdom of heaven is already here. Perhaps not in its total fullness. But we need to stop minimizing it. Accept it. Make this kingdom swap in our minds. Worship knowing that God's very presence in us through his Spirit is the very kingdom of heaven here and now.

Imagine what would happen if the world saw our worship, our lives, the very kingdom of heaven here on earth?